


Blood of the Covenant, Water of the Womb

by assetbucky



Series: How Far We've Come [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-20 13:38:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12434007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/assetbucky/pseuds/assetbucky
Summary: The paladins get back with their found family, and one finally reunites with his blood relatives.You can find me at transmarmora on tumblr!





	1. Chapter 1

It had been nearly a year since they arrived on Earth when they first got a call from Shiro. They'd talked through the past year, but Shiro was never the one who called. So when Keith saw Shiro was calling, he knew something was up. He sighed and nudged Lance, both of them getting up and going to the next room.

“What's up Shiro?” Most of Lance's family had gathered around them, staring at the screen from the back.

“The Arusians have a medical crisis, they're requesting help. Their ships aren't fast enough and they need supplies.”

“Well that shouldn't be an issue, just a day or two, right?”

“Well, Allura also called. They want you to come to the planet Dezovik, apparently they've started a society there and people want to meet you. All of you, but she specifically said you, Keith, need to get out there.”

“Why me?”

“She wouldn't tell me. But she also extended the invitation to any of your family who wants to come. I guess she remembered you talking about Noé, Lance.”

Noé immediately came around to stand by Lance. “So I can go?” He looked at Lance, smiling. “You know I’ve been waiting for this for six years.”

The next morning, they left Earth, Lance and Noé in Blue, Keith in Red. Pidge, with Matt and Austin, and Hunk, with Mika, weren’t far behind, all of them arriving to pick up the medical supplies around the same time. When they arrived on Arus, they were met by a group of representatives who had managed to avoid illness.

“Thank you, paladins. You have saved our people.” The King spoke before them, and soon after a short speech, one of the representatives walked up to Keith, looking up at him.

“Are you the same red paladin as before?” The voice of the Arusian was much deeper than one would expect from a being so cute. 

Keith looked down at him, smiling a little. “Yeah, I am. I remember you, you’re the one that hugged me when we were here.”

The Arusian smiled and stepped forward, holding out their arms with a somewhat hopeful look in their face. Keith leaned down and hugged them, petting their head gently. Without the added stress, he didn’t mind hugging people he barely knew nearly as much as he used to, and he was sure it would help with diplomatic missions with species that were more tactile.

“Alright, guys, we’ve got some sick Arusians, a lot of medical supplies, and Allura wants us on Dezovik as soon as possible, we better get moving.” Lance spoke as he turned to start unloading supplies, everyone else following close behind.

Over the next hours, they helped unload the medical supplies and distribute it, each of them saving a dose that they could take when they were done as an extra precaution to ensure they didn’t bring any illness with to Dezovik.

//

They were all ready to go. Hunk lifted off first, closely followed by Pidge, then Keith. Lance stayed on the ground.

“C’mon, Blue…” Lance was sitting in the cockpit, but his lion wasn’t responding. “Blue, it’s me, Lancey Lance. Please… we have to go, Allura wants to see us. C’mon, girl, it’s me…”

The doors slid open and Noé came in. “Lance, what’s taking so long?” The controls lit up, making both of them jump a little. “Blue not working? Lemme see.”

Lance got up, and Noé took his spot in the seat. “You know that’s not how this works. She’s over 10,000 years old, she probably just takes a bit to wake up sometimes. I’m her paladin, I’m the only one who ca- holy shit.”

Noé had no clue what he was doing. He moved as if on autopilot, and Blue lifted off the ground, quickly flying to catch up to the others. He looked up at Lance, a smile on his face. “Dude, you’re right, this is awesome.”

Lance sighed, looking down at him. “Guess you’re her paladin now.” He took off his helmet and handed it to Noé. The rest of the suit could come later, but communication between the paladins was key. He stood behind him, watching. Noé seeming to be a natural at this.

“You know I was in the garrison, Lance. I’m a good pilot even when my ship doesn’t listen to my thoughts.”

 _My ship._ It was his now. Lance wasn’t a paladin, Blue had taken him because he was good enough, not because he was the right pilot for her. He was silent for the rest of the trip to Dezovik, exiting the ship disappointed. He was so focused on the fact that he wasn’t Blue’s paladin anymore that it took him a moment to notice the low rumbling from within the castle.


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as they were off Blue, Noé was surrounded by nearly everyone. He had a smile on his face as they were all praising him, telling him how proud they were. Lance stood off to the side, staring at the ground. Keith looked over at him, pulling away from the group.

“Hey. You know they just don’t want to upset him by putting it in his mind that this is… well, screwing you over.”

Lance sighed and hugged Keith. “Blue was settling for me. She really wanted him, but I was good enough when he wasn’t there.”

Keith held Lance, stroking his hair gently. He got himself calm, which was closely followed by Lance calming down. “You feeling better?”

Lance nodded, closing his eyes. “Yeah. Apparently you purring actually helps me calm down.”

“I’m… not purring, Lance.” he was quiet for a moment, then realized he could hear the quiet rumbling too. “What… is that?”

The two of them wandered off, following the sound. Soon, they were deep in the castle, the steady rumbling getting louder. The two of them hesitated before a door, Lance looking up at Keith.

“Is this what I think it is?” Keith looked down at him, smiling. Lance nodded after a moment. “Then what d’you think it means?”

They entered the room, Lance staring as the lion inside lowered its head to let him in. He entered, with Keith behind him, the controls immediately reacting to him. He looked up at Keith, a wide smile on his face.

//

“Hey, where’s Lance and Keith?” Noé glanced around, jumping a bit as they heard a roar from beneath them. Within just a few minutes, Keith and Lance were back up with the rest of them, Lance looking excited and Keith looking proud.

“Guess who’s Voltron’s new black paladin!” Keith smiled and picked up Lance, who clung to him and yelled a little as his boyfriend spun around a few times, both of them laughing.

Noé stared at them, laughing a little. “You two are so sappy.”

Everyone was surrounding them as they had been surrounding Noé just a few moments ago, soon to be joined by Allura, Coran, and a man they had never seen before. Allura approached them, listening to what they were saying.

“Congratulations, Lance. Since the beginning, you were a wonderful leader. Your doubt was the only thing keeping you from being chosen by the black lion. Noé, it’s nice to finally meet you. Lance told us all so much about you.”

“Allura, this is my boyfriend, Mika.” Hunk stepped forward, smiling. “We’ve been together, what? Eight years now?” He looked down at Mika, who nodded a little.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Mika, was tucked against Hunk’s side. “Eli’s told me all about you.”

“Holy shit, _this_ is the ‘certain people’ who get to call you Eli?” Lance ran up and hugged Hunk from behind, making him lose his balance just for a second. He looked at Mika, a smile on his face. “I’m the one who nicknamed him Hunk. Didn’t realize he was taken at the time.”

Allura smiled. “Well, if you’re introducing people, this… is my uncle, King Eryiz.” She gestured to the man behind her, who stood at Coran’s side with an arm around him. They’d been talking, and just as Allura drew attention to them Eryiz leaned up and kissed Coran gently.

“Am I the only person here who’s straight?” Austin spoke up, looking around to the couples he was surrounded with.

“Honey, I’ve seen the way you look at me. You’re not that straight.” Matt said. Initially, everyone just stared for a moment. “I might’ve been waiting to use that one for a few years.” He nudged Pidge, who pushed him, knocking him into Austin.

“Yeah, well I’ve been watching you two for years, I’ve been waiting for it too. So, Allura, Shiro said something about you _needing_ Keith here? Something happen?”

“You could say that. There is someone I’d like you to meet, if you would come with me.”

Keith looked down at Lance, hesitating for a moment. “Uh… can I get out of my armor first?” When Allura nodded, he entered Red again and quickly changed. He kissed Lance as he passed him again, then followed Allura to his old room.

“He’s been staying in here, and he’s barely left. He doesn’t fit very well with the Marmorans.”

Keith sighed. “What, you introducing us thinking that we’ll bond ‘cause we’re both loners?”

Allura opened the door, looking at Keith. “No. I think you’ll bond because Kanza is your brother.”


	3. Chapter 3

Keith stared at the man on his old bed, where he’d apparently been living. He had been sleeping, but slowly woke when Allura said his name. “Princess…” He rushed to stand up, then noticed Keith beside her. “Is… this is him?” His eyes lit up as he took the few steps to get to Keith, who was just staring at him.

Keith was frozen. He’d spent his life wondering where his mother was, he’d never even considered that he might have other family. Kanza circled around him once, then stood in front of him. They were nearly exactly the same height, Keith just an inch taller. He watched as Kanza reached out, brushing Keith’s hair out of his face. Keith immediately jerked back, the panic apparent in his eyes.

“Keith…” He pulled his hand back. “I’m sorry. Mom says I’m tactile.” He stepped back, looking down.

That got Keith’s attention. _Mom._ If Kanza was his brother, and Kanza’s mom was around to tell him anything, that meant Keith’s mom was around too. For a moment, he was furious. Then he thought about it for a moment. It wasn’t Kanza’s fault that their mother hand left him, and he’d spent his own life without a father. They were in the same situation, and Kanza had it worse. Kanza was put into a war.

“I am too. I just… really don’t like light touch.” He was quiet, and he hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and hugged Kanza. When he looked up, Allura was gone. Over the next hour, they kept talking. For the vast majority of it, they told each other about themselves. 

Kanza leaned against Keith, mentioning that his mother had told him that his desire for constant contact was a nearly universal sign of trust. It was a common instinct across nearly all races, and after 10,000 years of war and aggression, most Galra no longer acted on it. 

Keith smiled and pulled him closer, petting him gently. Kanza started purring quietly, and Keith found himself oddly comforted by it. “So… Mom still around? Dad died when I was a kid, I’ve kinda been on my own.”

Kanza nodded. “Yeah, she’s here. Always been there for me. I wish you had her there with you. You clearly needed her.”

Keith was silent for a moment. Then he noticed Kanza had a blade like his own sitting in the corner. “How long were you working with the Blade?”

“Ten years. Started when I was 15. Mom and I always measured by Earth years since we has no other standard to go by. And that way we always knew how old you were too.”

“ _Fifteen?_ Dude, I was working with them for three months and almost sacrificed myself for my team. I… I wasn’t even an official member. You were working with them for _ten years_?”

Kanza shrugged. “I was of age. And I wasn’t fighting, I was deep undercover. That’s why you never heard about me. Couldn’t risk blowing it. And anyway, wasn’t one of your teammates 15 when you came out here?”

“14, actually. But I’m mad about that too. She snuck out here. And anyway, you’re my brother. I’m supposed to be mad about this kind of stuff when it’s with you.” He pulled Kanza a little closer just as the door opened.


	4. Chapter 4

Rava stood in the doorway, staring at her sons. The two of them were sitting on Kanza’s bed, Kanza already essentially curled up around Keith. She smiled at him stepping forward. “Kanza, Keith?”

Kanza stood and hugged his mother, their mother, looking back to Keith. “Keith! This is Rava, our mom…”

Keith stared, just for a moment, before standing. He thought he was ready to meet her, but seeing how close Kanza was with her he couldn’t help but get angry. She’d left him on Earth to think she had just abandoned him. She’d left him one clue, a knife that meant nothing to him unless you already knew what it meant. And she’d kept his brother, only to raise him in a war zone and send him off to war at fifteen.

And he was that kid again. The kid who was teased by other kids and pitied by teachers for not having a mom. The kid who punched someone for saying she was probably dead, and cried when they said she left because of him. The kid, handed a knife at seven years old and told that it belonged to his mom. 

“Yeah, some mom you are. Abandoned one kid and made the other a soldier. I was pissed enough when I thought you fucked up one kid, but you couldn’t even stop there.” He’d always had this problem - he was torn between wanting to know his mother, and being so mad at her that he hoped he never did. And whenever he got mad like this, he’d start crying. He wiped his eyes as he kept yelling. “You sent a fifteen year old into war. And you left your other kid with a guy who died 12 years later, leaving him with nothing but a knife as a clue to who you are. Thanks.”

He stormed out of the room, going to find Lance. He found them in the lounge and stood in the doorway for a moment, just long enough for Lance to notice him and come over to him. Keith sat against the wall, his knees pulled up to his chest. Lance sat next to him, pulling him into a hug.

“What’s wrong, Keith?” Lance moved Keith’s hair out of the way so he could see his face. “Who did Allura send you to meet?”

“My brother. And my mom.” He cuddled closer to Lance, who just stared at him for a moment. He ran his fingers through Keith’s hair, which had become especially comforting since he’d grown it out. “He’s cool. I just… got all mad about her leaving again.”

“Keith, I’m sure she wasn’t trying to abandon you, okay? You’ve got every right to be mad, but I’m sure she was just doing what she thought was right. She left her son who looked human on Earth, where he at least had a chance of fitting in. It clearly didn’t work too well, but you had a chance. And you met all of us. And she brought her son who looked like her into space, because on Earth he would’ve become a science experiment. Yeah, maybe she should’ve retired and taken care of him outside of the war, but it all worked out. They’re both still here, you’re still here, and we’re all together.”

Keith nodded a little, closing his eyes. He started playing with his own hair, something he’d started doing about a year ago whenever he was anxious. “I guess you’re right. I just… I saw her and I got mad again.”

“I know sweetie. It makes sense, but she’s your mom. I’m sure she’s been missing you too, okay? I’m sure she’s sorry.” 

//

Rava stared at the door after Keith left the room, then down at Kanza. He had gotten fairly good at reading her despite her tendency to hide her emotions as much as any other Marmoran.

“He’s right, you know. I think you’re a great mom, but to him you were someone who was just never there. Compared to Marmorans, you kept me safe. But on Earth, that wouldn’t have ever happened. No parent would _ever_ let their kid do any of the stuff I did. Of course he’s pissed.”

Rava sat on the edge of the bed. “I understand that. I hadn’t known what happened to him on Earth. I had a chance to check in after you went undercover, but I was unable to contact your father. Now I know why. I can’t believe Keith lost him too. I always thought at least they were together. But he had nobody.”

Keith walked back into the room. They was playing with their hair, avoiding looking at either of them. “I’m sorry… I guess I just get mad about this really easily, I overreac-”

“No, I’m sorry, Keith. You’re right. I left you alone. I brought Kanza into a war. I thought I was doing what was right for both of you. Apparently I was wrong.”


	5. Chapter 5

The team had been talking to Eryiz, learning more about Altea and about Dezovik. Lance couldn’t help but think that if this was on Earth, everyone would have fallen asleep. But he supposed that exciting things weren’t exciting when they happened all the time, and that made the boring things exciting.

“There is a flower native to this planet visually similar to the mountain juniberry. The Marmorans who discovered it named it after a flower from their history, a purple motrastein. Lately, it has been causing some strange effects on certain Marmorans. It seems certain genetic combinations make it slightly toxic. The effects are not harmful unless the flower itself is ingested, and the effects as they are happen to be quite funny.”

Keith, Rava, and Kanza walked in just in time to hear it. “They are _not_ funny. Sevek was out for a week.” Kanza said, though his expression said otherwise.

Allura looked up at them, smiling. “It’s quite a bit like the effects of anesthesia on Earth, based on the videos Pidge showed me.”

“Oh my god, I’d love to see that. I mean, I saw Shiro on anesthesia and he was hilarious. On the pain meds wasn’t so funny, mostly just sleeping, but when he got home he started crying because he ran out of peanut butter. He doesn’t even like peanut butter.”

Lance looked up at him. “Yeah, you were pretty funny too. Bet you forgot I took care of you after you got your wisdom teeth out.”

Keith stared at him. “You wouldn’t…”

“I would. Keith laughed about the word gubernatorial for 20 minutes.”

“Lance, don’t do this. I have a reputation to uphold. And gubernatorial is a funny word.”

“Keith watched the same episode of Danny Phantom six times because he kept forgetting which one he was on. They cried when Kim and Ron kissed on Kim Possible. And-”

Lance went on for nearly an hour with stories about Keith, who part way through sat down next to him, cuddling up against his side. “I hate you.” They had a smile on their face as they said it, and Kanza was laughing so hard he was gasping for breath. “Happy to see you think my most shameful moments are funny.”

“Well, you gotta admit. They’re pretty funny, and you blushing is a lot funnier.”

“I think it’s cute.” Lance said, smiling at him.

“You think everything’s cute.” Keith leaned up and kissed him gently.

“No, just _you_.”

“Yeah, well you’re cute too.”

“Sappy.” Austin looked over at Matt. “I’m not like that, am I?”

“Kinda. And we’re not even a couple.”

“Yet.” Pidge muttered, rolling her eyes. “Just get together already. It’s been 14 years.”

Everything was silent for a moment, then Eryiz spoke up again.

“Keith, other than Lance’s stories, I haven’t heard much about you. Though Lance really wouldn’t stop talking about you.”

Keith hesitated, sighing quietly. “Well, I’m not the best at talking about myself, y’know? I… I’m half Galra. Well, Marmoran, I guess? That’s a new thing right? Found out I’ve got a brother today, that was kinda weird. I guess I’m still a little shaken by all of this, y’know?”

So everyone started with stories. Pidge talked about when she had tried to leave Voltron, and how while Keith was wrong he was clearly determined to keep people safe, no matter the cost. Noé talked about the first time they met, how Keith naturally fit into the family like he’d always been there. Hunk talked about the party with the Arusians, the two of them joking around and making the best of their new situation.

And Lance made a mistake. “So after Hunk left, Keith said that they’re gonna make fun of me all the time, but at least I can live my dream of dating a giant cat. Then Pidge came in and called us Furry and Fuzzy. Still haven’t lived that one down, Noé jokes about it all the time. ‘Cause _somebody_ told him.” He jokingly glared at Keith.

“Hey, I get made fun of with that one too. And it was so worth it.”

Noé hesitated for a second. “Hey, Pidge, what was it Lance said his dream was?”

“Dating a giant cat.” It took her less than a second to realize where this was headed. “Hey Furry, you gonna leave Fuzzy for Fuzzier?”

Keith laughed, reaching over and pushing Pidge jokingly. “That’s not funny.”

“You’re laughing, and it’s pretty funny, though not realistic.” Kanza was leaning against Keith again, Rava by his side.


End file.
